Where does “മായ” come from?

മായ (Malayalam) comes from Sanskrit माया, from Sanskrit मा, from Proto-Iranian máH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maH, from Proto-Indo-European meh₁ — prohibitive particle.

മായ (Malayalam): maya; magic, infatuation, juggling, miraculous power, sorcery

Definitions

  1. maya; magic, infatuation, juggling, miraculous power, sorcery

Ancestry of “മായ”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritमायाart, wisdom, inhuman or supernatural power;...
2Sanskritमाdon't; accusative singular of अहम्; to sound,...
3Proto-IranianmáH—
4Proto-Indo-IranianmaHdo not; prohibitive particle
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmeh₁prohibitive particle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European meh₁ →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian maH →Every word from Proto-Iranian máH →